A is for Autumn

• Read “A Is for Autumn” by Robert Maass …. this is a beautiful book. We loved it. Every letter stands for a different part of Autumn, from Apples, Colors and Frost to Wood burning in fireplaces and Zippers to zip up on chilly days. The colors and photographs are wonderful.
  1. Ask your kids to point to letter A on the cover.
  2. Have them draw a letter A in the air with their finger.
  3. What do they notice on the cover?
  4. As you read the pages, see if they can guess what the letters stand for by looking at the pictures. Say, “A is for ….” and let them guess!

• Sing “It’s Autumntime” … click here for words and music.
  1. You can click on the “audio” tab at the top to choose “words & music”
  2. Let the kids hold a yellow, red and/or brown leaf as you sing (real leaves or paper!)
  3. Have them gently drop their leaves when you sing “The leaves are falling down.”
  4. Do other motions, such as:
     • “It’s all around the town” (move arms in a circle)
     • “There’s yellow, red, and brown” (point to or hold up each one)
     • “Bright colors can be found” (hold leaves high above their head)

• Read “Clifford's First Autumn” by Norman Bridwell … a fun Autumn book

• Autumn Color Walk … it was nice to get out of the house and notice all of the pretty fall colors.
  1. Make an “Autumn Color Wheel”
     • Choose 8 fall-colored papers.
     • Trace around a plate and cut out a circle from each color.
     • Cut in half, then in half again, then one more time (to make 1/8 pieces)
     • Glue the 8 colored pieces to a full circle.
  2. Go on a nature scavenger walk. We went on a trail by the river here and it was beautiful!
  3. Help the kids look for leaves, sticks, pinecones, seeds, flowers, rocks, etc. that match their colors. Try to find one for each color!
  4. TIP: Collect a few extra leaves for the next activity!

• Autumn Placemats … we actually did this the next day, but if your kids are not ready for some rest time (like mine were), this would be fun to make for their snack time.
  1. Use a glue stick to glue several leaves to a piece of cardstock. It was fun watching my 3-year-old choose which leaves she wanted and where to put them.
  2. NOTE: The leaves will not lay totally flat, but that’s ok.
  3. Use letter stamps (or stickers … or a crayon) to add letter As to your placemat. We have these See and Stamp Alphabet Stamps that are chunky enough for the kids to hold and you can see exactly where you are stamping. I love and recommend them. The ink pads (washable) that we use are here.
  4. Once their masterpiece is complete, send it through the laminator. I have the Scotch Thermal Laminator. It’s quick and easy.

• Autumn Leaf Sugar Cookies … these look so pretty. You don’t even need frosting
  1. Make a batch of your favorite sugar cookies.
  2. Divide the dough into four balls.
  3. Color each ball a different fall color. We used red, orange, yellow, and green.
  4. Take pieces from each ball and smoosh the colors together into a large ball.
  5. Roll out your dough (and ooh and ahh at the cool colors)
  6. Use a leaf cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. This is the one we used:

     

  7. Sprinkle with colored sugar sprinkles & bake.
  8. Delicious … even without frosting.